Things to Do in Ula: 10 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Ula

• 1 Historic
• 4 Ancient City
• 4 Nature
• 1 Attraction

🌳 Natural Wonders 4

i Photo: Cretanforever (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source

6 🌳 Nature

Akyaka (Gökova)

Akyaka town, attached to Ula, lies at the innermost point of Gökova Bay. It holds the Cittaslow (Slow City) title and is known for its wooden houses in traditional Muğla architecture designed by Nail Çakırhan.

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7 🌳 Nature

Gökova Bay

One of Türkiye's most beautiful bays, Gökova is known for its clear water, wind-surfing conditions and boat tours. Sedir Island (Cleopatra Beach) is the bay's most famous spot.

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i Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · Source

8 🌳 Nature

Azmak River

Fed by underground springs at Akyaka, the Azmak River stands out for its clear turquoise water. Canoe and boat tours explore the river, where reeds, plane trees and a rich variety of birds can be seen along its banks.

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9 🌳 Nature

Ula Pond

A pond in forested land that largely meets the water needs of the Ula plain.

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While you are in Ula, you can also see the highlights of Muğla province. These places are in other districts.

• Bodrum Castle (Castle of St Peter) — A castle built by the Knights of St John around 1402, partly using stones from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
• Mausoleum of Halicarnassus — A monumental tomb built by Artemisia for her husband Mausolos, king of Caria, and counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
• Ölüdeniz — South of Fethiye, with its turquoise water and sheltered lagoon, this is Türkiye's most photographed beach.
• Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi) — A valley and beach south of Ölüdeniz, enclosed by sheer cliffs and reachable only by sea.
• Kayaköy (Levissi) — A ghost village 8 km south of Fethiye, made up of hundreds of abandoned stone houses spread across a hillside, where Greeks lived until the 1923 population exchange.
• Dalyan Canal and Kaunos — A reed-fringed canal linking Köyceğiz Lake to the sea, with the ancient city of Kaunos on its bank.

Practical Information for Visiting Ula

Suggested time

1-2 days

Best time to visit

May to October

Places to visit

10 places

• 🫓

  Ula Bazlaması (thick griddle bread)

  Thick bread made from leavened dough cooked on a griddle, Ula's traditional breakfast treat. It is served with fresh butter and honey.

• 🦐

  Akyaka Seafood

  Fresh fish and prawns from Gökova Bay are served grilled or as güveç in Akyaka's seafront restaurants. Gökova prawns are especially famous.

• 🌿

  Zeytinyağlı Ot Kavurması (wild herbs sautéed in olive oil)

  Wild herbs gathered locally are sautéed in olive oil with onion and garlic. It is one of the healthy, light dishes of Aegean cuisine.

• 🍽️

  Gökova Sesame

  A sesame product grown in Ula and its surroundings, registered as a geographical indication.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Ula

• 🐌

  Akyaka Cittaslow (Slow City)

  Akyaka was one of the first settlements in Türkiye to join the Cittaslow network, in 2011. Its identity is shaped by a philosophy of slow living, the protection of local products and sustainable tourism.

• 🏠

  Nail Çakırhan Architecture

  Architect Nail Çakırhan, winner of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, designed the houses in Akyaka in traditional Muğla style. Timber bay-windowed houses with stone walls define the district's architectural identity.

Local Products

• Ula Garlic — Ula Garlic was registered as a protected designation of origin on 6 August 2024 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1626). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Muğla Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• Ula Pine Honey — Pine honey obtained from Ula's pine forests is dark in colour and intensely aromatic. Local beekeeping cooperatives produce it organically.
• Ula Olive Oil — Olive oil cold-pressed from the district's olive groves. It comes from one of Muğla's high-quality oil-producing areas.

Economy

Ula's economy is based on agriculture, beekeeping and tourism. Olive growing and pine honey production are traditional sources of income. Tourism in Akyaka brings important income to the district, and wind-surfing and kitesurfing tourism is also developing.

How to Get to Ula

Ula is 12 km from Muğla and 40 km from Marmaris. Dalaman Airport is 90 km away. Regular minibus services run to Akyaka from Muğla and Marmaris.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Muğla

Ula: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Ula Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Muğla The province's 19 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Muğla

• Bodrum 7 places Bodrum Castle (Underwater Archaeology Museum), Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Halikarnas Mozolesi) and Ancient Theatre
• Dalaman 8 places Dalaman River and Rafting Course (Dalaman Çayı ve Rafting Parkuru), Kapıdağ Peninsula and Dalaman State Production Farm
• Datça 7 places Knidos Ancient City, Old Datça (Datça Quarter) and Palamutbükü Cove
• Fethiye 7 places Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi), Amintas Rock Tombs (Amintas Kaya Mezarları) and Saklıkent Canyon
• Kavaklıdere 4 places Kavaklıdere Castle, Hydai (Damlıboğaz) Ancient City and Kavaklıdere Pine Forests
• Köyceğiz 5 places Köyceğiz Lake, Kaunos Ancient City and İztuzu Beach (Caretta Caretta Beach)
• Marmaris 7 places Marmaris Castle and Archaeology Museum, Cennet Island (İncekum) and Bozburun Peninsula
• Menteşe 4 places Muğla Arasta Bazaar, Muğla Historic Houses (Saburhane Neighbourhood) and Muğla Grand Mosque
• Milas 12 places Beçin Castle and Ancient City, Gümüşkesen Monument Tomb and Euromos (Temple of Zeus Lepsynos)
• Ortaca 11 places İztuzu Beach, Dalyan Channel and Dalyan Channel and Kaunos Rock Tombs
• Seydikemer 7 places Saklıkent Canyon, Tlos Ancient City and Yakapark (Yaka Village)
• Yatağan 5 places Stratonikeia Ancient City (Stratonikeia Antik Kenti), Lagina Hekate Temple (Lagina Hekate Tapınağı) and Yatağan Sword Museum (Yatağan Kılıç Müzesi)